Dry skin usually isn't serious, but it can be uncomfortable and unsightly, turning plump cells into shriveled ones and creating fine lines and wrinkles long before you're due. More serious dry skin conditions, such as the inherited group of disorders called ichthyosis, can sometimes be disfiguring and may cause psychological distress to people living with them.

Fortunately, most dry skin results from environmental factors that can be wholly or partially controlled. These include exposure to hot or cold weather with low humidity levels and to wind, long-term use of air conditioning or central heating, excessive bathing, especially tub baths, and the use of strong soaps or detergents. Metabolic changes that occur with normal aging or with certain medical conditions also can affect the moisture content of your skin.

Chronic or severe dry skin problems may require a dermatologist's advice. But you can do a lot on your own to improve your skin, including drinking more water, showering less, and above all, moisturizing.

Dry Skin Symptoms

Dry skin can be a temporary problem - one you experience only in winter, for example - or a lifelong concern. And although skin is often driest on your arms, lower legs and the sides of your abdomen, this pattern can vary considerably from person to person. What's more, signs and symptoms of dry skin depend on your age, your health status, your locale, the amount of time you spend outdoors, and the cause of the problem.

If you have dry skin due to environmental factors or normal aging, you're likely to experience one or more of the following:

A feeling of tightness or tautness, especially after showering, bathing or swimming A loss of plumpness - your skin appears shrunken or dehydrated

Skin that feels and looks rough rather than smooth

Itching that sometimes may be intense

Slight to severe flaking or scaling

Fine lines or cracks

Severe redness

Deep fissures that may bleed

Dry Skin Cause

Factors which contribute to dry and cracked skin include:

Inherited factors

Metabolic factors such as an under active thyroid gland, or excessive weight loss.

Increasing age, resulting in decreased natural lubrication.

Cool weather, especially when windy or the humidity is low.

Air conditioning, central heating or sitting close to a fire or fan heater.

Excessive bathing, showering or swimming, especially in strongly chlorinated hot or cold water.

Contact with soap, detergents and solvents.

Frictional irritation and chapping.

Dry Skin Diagnosis

Your doctor is likely to conduct a thorough physical exam and to question you about your medical history, including when your dry skin started, what factors make it better or worse, your bathing habits, your diet and how you care for your skin.

You may have certain diagnostic tests if your doctor suspects that your dry skin is the result of an underlying medical condition such as hypothyroidism or diabetes. In addition, genetic tests can help identify some, but not all, of the more than 20 types of ichthyosis. If tests reveal a more serious condition, you may be referred to other doctors, including a dermatologist, who specializes in skin disorders.

Dry Skin Care / Treatment

Moisturizers work well to treat dry skin. Choose a moisturizer that is hypoallergenic (it should say so on the label). Ointments (or oils) are best, followed by creams, and then lotions. Petroleum jelly (one brand name: Vaseline) is an excellent skin lubricant, but it can be messy to use.

Put a moisturizer on your skin 3 or 4 times during the day. Always put the moisturizer on right after you wash or bathe. This will hold in the moisture from the water. If you have very dry hands, put petroleum jelly on them before you go to bed at night and sleep with your hands in cotton-lined gloves.

Changing your bathing habits can also help. If you bathe too often, it may dry out your skin. Try to take short, lukewarm baths or showers. Oatmeal baths may be soothing to dry skin. After a bath or shower, pat your skin dry and put a moisturizer on your skin right away. Use a mild soap every day to clean your genital area and under your arms. Only clean other parts of your body 2 or 3 times a week with soap.

Some people use bath oils to help make their skin less dry. However, these oils can be dangerous because they make your tub slippery. To avoid slipping and falling, put the oil on your skin after you get out of the bathtub. Plain baby oil works well.

Dry Skin Care

There is no reason to shower more than once a day. Don't shower in very hot water.

Avoid the over-use of soap. Use a mild soap with a skin-friendly pH value.

Dab skin dry - don't rub.

Apply a moisturiser while skin is still a little damp.

Air your home, and turn down the heating.

Do not over-indulge in sunbathing. Excessive exposure to sun rays can cause dry skin, wrinkles and skin cancer.

To reduce irritation, wear light clothes made of cotton.

Dry Skin Solution

Each day when you take your bath or shower, try to use lukewarm water. Hot water dries out the skin. Try to limit your time to fifteen minutes or less in thebath or shower. Bathing should be done no more than once a day. If you bathe too frequently you will remove the natural oils from the skin causing dryness.

Avoid using harsh soaps that dry the skin. Even better than soap are skin cleansers.

Deodorant soaps are often very harsh and drying. If you need them, limit their use to areas that develop an odor

Avoid vigorous use of a washcloth in cleansing. When toweling dry, do not rub the skin. Blot or pat dry so there is still some moisture left on the skin.

Next apply a moisturizer to the skin. The best time to do this is immediately after a bath or shower so that the moisturizer holds in the moisture from theshower. If you have severely dry skin, apply an oil to the still moist skin, then apply a moisturizing cream and also apply the moisturizer at bedtime.

All areas that are exposed to the sun, such as the face, ears, hands, and back of the neck should have a moisturizer containing sun block or a sunscreen of SPF 15 or greater applied daily.

Use a humidifier in your home during the central heating season. If sweating causes itching, modify your activity and surroundings to minimize sweating. Work and sleep in a fairly constant temperature (68-75o F) and humidity (45-55%). Remember to keep drinking plenty of water and other liquids to keep your skin moist from the inside, too.

Remedy Dry Skin

Aloe Vera is soothing, healing, and moisturizing. It also helps to remove dead skin cells. Apply aloe vera gel topically on affected areas.

Calendula and comfrey have skin-softening properties. They can be used in a facial sauna or to make herbal or floral waters. Comfrey also reduces redness and soothes irritated skin.

Add 5 drops of lavender oil or oat extract to bath water. After the bath, apply diluted evening primrose oil or aloe vera cream.

Drink teas of camomile, dandelion or peppermint.

Borage, fennel, coltsfoot or calendula tea also helps improve the skin. Add 1 tsp. of herbs to 1 cup of boiling water and drink daily.

Tea tree oil has been known to penetrate into the skin's cellular level. Add 1 drop of oil to your favorite day or night cream to help moisturize and smooth skin.

Cocoa butter is the fat extracted from roasted cocoa, or cacao, beans. The white waxy material can be applied to dry skin as needed; it melts on contact to soothe and protect. Cocoa butter is available in stick form.

The oil in avocados acts as an emollient. Avocado also contains beneficial vitamin E. To treat dry facial skin, puree the pulp and pat it on the face as a mask. Leave on for 20 to 30 minutes.

ESSENTIAL OILS

Chamomile

Geranium

Lavender

Patchouli

Rose

Sandalwood

CALL THE DOCTOR

You feel itchy without a visible rash.

Dryness and itching are preventing you from sleeping.

You have any open cuts or sores from scratching.

Home care measures do not relieve your dryness and itching.

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